SOTU - The Follow-up

President Obama has raised the bar.  Following up his address on Wednesday, his meeting with the Republican house members on Thursday effectively fired a shot across the GOP bow. The debate has been renewed and a fresh round of analysis amongst the pundocracy has ensued.  The Wingnuts loyal opposition on Face The Nation this morning are proclaiming their usual talking points giving the example that a jobs bill "must" be passed by borrowing money, while the Leftists majority party have proposed to use some of the TARP funds to pay for it, which of course was also "borrowed" money.  No difference in the positions, but still a continuing partisan battle.  

We've seen the President and his party leadership dramatically swing to the Right Center. They've co-opted the traditional center positions of the Republican Party and are STILL getting villified.  The Republicans are seeing some political successes and won't try and work with the President. As the talking head from Politico just said, Republicans see their stonewall opposition as a winning strategy to "get back to power."

There you go.  The President is working on policy, governing and doing an uncertain job of connecting with his constituents.  The Republicans have effectively backed themselves into the corner by dedicating themselves to the total destruction of the Obama presidency.  I'm stating the obvious.  The GOP smells blood.  They continue to truly feel that their path to power is complete opposition (they call it "standing on principle") and total polical war.  They may "win" but the country loses because of the unresolved and truly gigantic governance that needs to occur but can't in this atmosphere.

The Dems on the other hand, have been handed the power.  They've got it but can't figure out how to use it.  So far as they continue to pass some low level stuff and manage to win almost every debate on policy, they still LOSE every debate narrative.  The facts, the logic, and the policy are on their side, but they are unable to explain it to the citizenry. The Republicans paint in broad strokes and find a clear narrative that reflects their position.  Unlike the Democrats, they have embraced the populist base of their party and have no qualms about being very obtuse and general with their rhetoric.  They've simply found that they don't NEED to explain themselves in detail.  The've got their story and they're sticking to it, no matter how many times it's refuted by pesky facts or by a President who's trying to work with them.

(I'm watching Rep. Boehner recite the same narrative we've heard thousands of time, the  very same narrative that the President effectively debunked point by point on Thursday.  When invited to list some things that he could say yes too, Mr. Boehner strode off into storyland with a tome on leadership, "government run health care" and "standing on principle."  Sigh..... 

Holy Crap...!! Did Boehner just say that there is "waste and fraud" in the Pentagon Budget?? That NO GOVERNMENT AGENCY should be exempted from spending cuts?  Ice skating in Hell....??  whoa....)

Meanwhile, the country waits.  I'm hoping that folks will hold both parties to account and reinforce the idea over and over that political power does not trump competent governance, that fiscal responsibility includes the entitlements AND the defense industry and that by focusing solely on the attainment of political power, the political parties are turning away from governance.

I'm hoping that folks will begin to realize that this thirst for political power by both parties means that we don't have elections, we have auctions, that our representatives don't represent us, they represent those who pay for their election, and that We the People hold the power to call them out and refuse to be bought or bribed. 

I'm hoping.....

First Take on the SOTU

I'm on the road today and am forced to catch the news in a hotel.  The MSM, (CBS, ABC, FOX) had some pretty good stories about the SOTU.  They managed to repeat what he said, gave some cursory analysis and then...... ignored the President's advice and switched to the really Big Story of the day.  John and Elizabeth Edwards are splitting up!

How is this a big story?  What has it to do with anything that was mentioned by the President last night?  How is it more important than ANY of the urgent issues he spoke about?  The courtiers run the agenda, the scuttlebut, the "inside" story.  They still ignore most of the pressing issues or any chance to educate the public or examine exactly what the President was proposing.  They'll get back to us, I guess.....

Meanwhile check Joan Walsh, or Arianna Huffington or even Garrison Keillor for some insight.  More later... gotta go.

Does it Matter?

Ronald Reagan was less popular at this point in his presidency than Barack Obama is now. With his super majority now a glimmer of history, will Mr. Obama's agenda slow down? Does it really matter that the Republicans now have "Mr. 41?" 

The 60 senate votes were, in reality, an albatross of high expectations hung around the collective Democratic Party neck.  It made the whole party kowtow to Blue Dogs in the Senate (who shall here remain nameless, as well they should in the news cycle and all other arena's that they aspire so greatly to present themselves). The necessity of gaining 60 Votes put a big sock in the mouths of the progressive caucus, the black caucus and any and all Liberal and moderate voices in the Senate.

I contend here that, freed from the noose of the super majority, the Democrats in Congress will now get to show their mettle by passing legislation, approving appointees, regulating and overseeing the governmental institutions via simple majority. Damn! What a simple idea. I'm one who feels that if the you have the power, then use it!

Shivering in fear, throwing up your hands and telling us that with 41 votes, Republicans can and will stop any and all legislation presented in the Senate JUST DOESN'T CUT IT WITH ME ANY MORE.  As has often been conjectured, if the opposition party chooses to force legislation to die with out even being voted on, regardless of importance, regardless of the urgent needs of the citizens, regardless of National Security, regardless of human and civil rights, then document it well. 

When obstructors stop legislation, go to the steps of the Capital and hold a press conference and TELL THE WORLD that Senator DeMint doesn't give a crap about National Security, that Senator McConnell doesn't give a crap about jobs, the middle class, health care and so many other urgent necessities that are immensely popular to the large majority of American citizens.

Make it painful for the minority.  Force them to take stands against the best interests of the common citizen.  Expose their blatant attempts to present themselves as populists.  Expose any and all Zombie lies.  Don't let them lie and distort the issues with impunity.  Call them out!

Democrats, you have the power. Use it.  Stand up for the people.  Tell the world that the Republican attempts to buy off the government and hand it over to their corporate masters is simple bribery.  Payola.  Nothing more. 

Mr. Mims and a Mistaken Ideal

Today's editorial entitled "Well Done, Mr. Mims," is mistaken on several fronts.  The conservative code is unmistakable and the refusal to accept responsibility for the hardship to the American public the proposed policies would cause is unfortunate but typical of the hard line conservative movement.

"In reply to an inquiry from Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, Mims wrote that the federal government has no authority to force an American to purchase health insurance, a key provision in the Democratic plan.


While Congress may have the power to regulate economic activity under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, and “health care is an economic activity,” Mims wrote, “the failure to purchase health insurance is not an economic activity.”'

Health Care is indeed a human right, if not constitutionally, then morally.  In the richest and most viable nation on earth, the fact that so many die because they can't afford to be "economically viable" is morally corrupt.  The fact that there are so many Americans who have much, coupled with the idea that so many more have so little is a perfect example not of the "coming ruination" of American health care, but of the current ruination of the lives of so many of our citizens.

"Whatever happens, Mr. Mims deserves kudos for his public service, and a pat on the back for standing against the permanent socialization, and coming ruination, of American health care."

Yes, kudos to Mr. Mims for public service even though he is wrong about the health care issue.  He also too little, too late in standing against the "permanent socialization" of America which happily has already occurred.  Socialization has solved problems that affect all of society, has given us adequate law enforcement, public education, adequate though flawed transportation and infrastructure, provides for the national defense, protects and preserves our natural resources and has kept our nation from falling into another Great Depression.

Our editor, and perhaps Mr. Mims, does indeed yearn for a autocratic, plutocratic society where only the "economically viable" are allowed the rights and privileges of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."  He yearns to return to a time of "personal responsibility, lower taxes, and smaller government" yet he refuses to acknowledge that it is that personal responsibility, a progressive tax structure, and a government large enough to keep him safe, economically viable, well educated, and well defended from our enemies makes our nation the most privileged and powerful on earth.

Shame on him and his supporters who so willingly consign the rest to a purgatory of poverty, sickness, hunger and death; who refuse to recognize the cost of these ideals to our citizens.

Count the Cost... 122 more Americans died today because they couldn't get adequate health care.